ANAESTHESIA OF HONEYBEES BY SMOKE FROM THE PYROLYSIS OF PUFFBALLS AND KERATIN
Author(s)
W F WOOD
Abstract
Anaesthesia of honeybees by smoke from buring African puffball Langermannia wahlbergi Lycoperdales: Lycoperdaceae is due in part to hydrogen sulpide, one of the products of pyrolysis, though hydrogen cyanide and other unidentified substances may act along with hydrogen sulphide. Hydrogen sulphide is also produced during the pyrolysis of human hair and was shown to be the principal agent responsible for the anaesthesia of honeybees. Preliminary studies using human hair or chicken feathers as a source of smoke indicate that its use to anaesthetize bees does not shorten their lives. Properly used, human hair or chicken feathers might enable tropical African beekeepers to anaesthetize their bees when harvesting honey.
